Willie Nelson’s longtime collaborator, drummer, and confidant celebrates a birthday today, reminding fans of the unsung heroes behind a music icon. ML

On this day (November 6) in 1932, Paul English was born in Vernon, Texas. English was in his 20s when he met Willie Nelson. The two became fast friends and, after a few years, he joined the rising country singer’s band full-time. His duties didn’t stop at the stage. He also served as Nelson’s tour manager. When shady concert promoters refused to pay the band, English’s rough past prepared him to be an effective debt collector.

In 1955, long before Nelson was an Outlaw Country legend, he had a daytime radio show on the Fort Worth, Texas-based KCNC. Oliver English, Paul’s brother, was a guitarist who was fluent in the style of Django Reinhardt, the jazz player who influenced Nelson’s playing. As a result, he became a musical mentor for the aspiring country star. Nelson met his future drummer and best friend through his brother, according to Rolling Stone.

At the time, English had a criminal record. Nelson called him a “gun-toting, fun-loving outlaw with plenty of charm with no fears,” in his book, It’s a Long Story, My Life. He wasn’t, however, a drummer. That didn’t stop Nelson from asking him to keep time for him on a cardboard box during his radio show. In 1966, more than a decade after they met, English became a full-time member of Nelson’s band.

English reportedly took a major pay cut to join the band. Before deciding to go on the road with Nelson full-time, he was a pimp, making thousands of dollars every week.

Paul English Wasn’t Just Part of Willie Nelson’s Band

Paul English wasn’t just Willie Nelson’s drummer. He was a family friend. Nelson’s son Micah remembered English as “An OG freak who didn’t take any sh*t. He carried a pistol and had to use it more than once, dealing with shady promoters. He looked after my dad for many years on the road, especially in those early days. He was never anything but kind to me.”

Paula Nelson, Willie’s daughter, had fond memories of English as well. “He was my namesake. He was my godfather. He was my family. He and my dad walked me down the aisle. He was one of the coolest outlaws there ever was.”

The support went both ways, though. When English’s first wife, Carlene, died by suicide, Nelson was there for him. He took him to Mexico to spend time with Kris Kristofferson and Bob Dylan. Together, they helped English through the painful loss. Then, Nelson wrote “I Still Can’t Believe That You’re Gone” about the tragedy. It appears on the 1974 classic Phases and Stages.

Most Willie Nelson fans know about the bond he shared with English from the song “Me and Paul.” About that song, he told Rolling Stone, “It’s all true.”

Paul English died on February 11, 2020, of acute pneumonia. He was 87 years old.